The Daytona Beach Jai-Alai fronton closed its 26th season Monday night with the most successful performance in its history by setting a one-night handle record of $522,632 wagered by a standing-room crowd of 5,424.

A large number of the patrons left smiling. There were 15 winning tickets worth $14,579 each on the ''Pick 6.'' The exotic wager was the main reason for the handle record. More than $180,000 was wagered on the ''Pick 6'' alone, raising the pool to $218,675.

The winning numerical combination was 1-4-8-6-4-4. Each of the winning tickets had five of six correct.

Total handle for the Daytona season was $25,748,688, the second best in the fronton's history. Season attendance was 370,602.

On the court, Echea was the fronton champion with 141 victories, but the night really belonged to David. Though finishing second in total victories with 127, David, a popular American player, took the singles title with 32 and the frontcourt championship doubles crown with 28.

More important, the majority of the crowd knew that David was playing his final night on the Daytona-Melbourne circuit. He will report this week to the Dania fronton, where he will have a chance to rise in international stature. One of the best defensive frontcourters in the world, David was the most popular player on the Daytona roster and will be missed.

Melbourne will open Sept. 4 with essentially the same roster that played at Daytona, which reopens on Feb. 5.

Meanwhile, preparations are under way for the opening of the Orlando season with a matinee on Labor Day, Sept. 2. Mendi returns as the star of Orlando's backcourt, along with about a half-dozen of Tampa's top players.

GREYHOUNDS: Form has gone out the window during the elimination races leading to the Aug. 24 running of the Future Stakes Championship at Seminole Greyhound Park in Casselberry. Long shots have been winning as frequently as favorites in the heat races. At the moment BJ Blackmax from the Zoraida Kennel leads the 32 qualifiers with two victories and two places. However, the Mendheim Kennel has four of the current top eight. The next elimination races will be Friday and Saturday. . . . Polo Genie, who has a track record of 10 consecutive victories, is scheduled to run for No. 11 Saturday. . . . Closing is Aug. 31, and Charter looks as though it is pulling away for the kennel championship with 141 victories to A&T Southern's 117. The competition has been balanced, however. Nine kennels already having 100 or more victories each. . . . At Sarasota, sister track to Sanford-Orlando, there was a rarity in the 11th race of Saturday's matinee. The eight dogs finished in their post- position order, 1 through 8. Odds on that are 40,319-to-1. The crowd of 3,532 that day also set a track matinee wagering record of $439,791.